Many harmful energy-producing substances that are used in nutritional supplements fall in the class of artificial stimulants. These substances, often times, can be addictive or otherwise harmful, particularly if abused. There are also many natural substances that can be harmful if abused as well. For example, caffeine and ephedrine or ephedra (ma huang) are natural substances that provide or enhance energy. Specifically, ephedrine, a thermogenic compound that burns brown fat near the kidneys and sternum, can be combined in diet or energy products with caffeine or other natural caffeine sources to provide a stimulant that is especially powerful.
Ephedrine is a stimulant that is used as an ingredient in diet pills, illegal recreational drugs, and legitimate over-the-counter medications to treat congestion and asthma. Ephedrine has a molecular structure similar to amphetamine. Ephedrine can produce adverse reactions, such as heart attack, stroke, tachycardia, paranoid psychosis, depression, convulsions, coma, fever, vomiting, palpitations, hypertension, and respiratory depression, particularly if abused or overused.
These side affects notwithstanding, some energy supplement manufacturers choose to use ephedrine in their energy formulations. As such, it would be desirable to provide an energy generating formulation that is ephedra free, as well as free of artificial ingredients, that provides noticeable energy enhancement to a user.